Reporter Han Dong-hoon
Article entered 2024-11-18 06:08
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The Chuncheon Tigers’ shot, which was rapidly increasing the speed of the chase, hit the rim and fell. Coway Blue Wheels, which was being chased, grabbed the rebound. Counterattack chance. Ace Kim Sang-yeol pushed the wheelchair wheel vigorously. Kim Sang-yeol was the first to hit the bottom of the Chuncheon goal. The Chuncheon players urgently prepared a defensive camp. A long penetration pass followed Kim Sang-yeol’s movement from the rear. Beep beep! At that moment, the sound of rubber wheels tearing the floor of the court rang out. The metallic sound of wheelchairs hitting each other added to the excitement. The two Chuncheon defenders were shocked as they covered Kim Sang-yeol’s wheelchair from left and right. The rough ‘blocking’ defense, reminiscent of bumper cars, worked well. Kim Sang-yeol stretched out his hand, but could not reach the ball. The referee didn’t blow the whistle either. The powerful play, which can be compared to tackling in soccer or bodychecking in ice hockey, was not a foul. Chuncheon Tigers and Coway Blue Wheels are fateful rivals in the wheelchair basketball league. In last season’s championship game, Chuncheon Tigers defeated Coway Blue Wheels and came out on top. This season we met in the playoffs. It was an incredibly tough and passionate match. The offense and defense transition was also accomplished quickly. The first game on the 15th was a drama without gangs. Chuncheon Lee Yun-ju, who was behind by 5 points at the end of the game, made a comeback with a 3-point buzzer beater and achieved a huge victory in overtime. On the 16th, in the second game, Coway exacted revenge. We came up with a new defensive strategy and succeeded perfectly. Coway Blue Wheels coach Kim Young-moo said, “If we lose today, the season is over. It was a one-legged bridge. Our players are strong in this type of game. We decided to throw away the mid-range shots from Lee Yun-ju (Chuncheon Tigers). As that strategy worked in the early stages, the score gap widened.” I looked back. ‘Coway Ace’ Kim Sang-yeol was a member of Chuncheon last season. Wearing the uniform of the club he defeated a year ago, he aimed at his home team’s goalpost. Kim Sang-yeol did not hide his overwhelming emotions, saying, “In the first game, I scored a lot and the team lost. In the second game, I scored less, but the team won. I feel the reward of playing basketball when the five of us move as one, more than when we record individual records.” . Although they are archenemies on the court, they are ultimately colleagues and partners even if they are on the opposing team. Kim Sang-yeol said, “The Chuncheon players are all part of the national team and we meet often. We know each other very well. We exercise while learning. It’s fun and tense, and we prepare to win, and when we lose, we prepare again. It feels good to be competing with each other in such a friendly manner.” .
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There was no audience for this thrilling competition. The only broadcast was on YouTube, which was produced in-house. Kim Hang-mook, head of the general affairs and public relations team at the Korea Wheelchair Basketball Federation, lamented, “It’s so much fun to come and see it in person, but it’s too bad it’s not widely known.” The Wheelchair Basketball Federation made every effort to attract group spectators to nearby schools ahead of the playoffs and championship game. The response from schools on site is said to be lukewarm. There is a large temperature difference for disabled sports. Recently, as part of efforts to improve awareness of the disabled, integrated sports, including the Seoul Forest Sports Festival, are receiving a lot of attention in the school sports sector, but there are still many people who are not interested. Coway Blue Wheels operates a wheelchair basketball experience program in middle and high schools together with the Seoul Lim Integrated Sports Club. There was an enthusiastic response from students, with some schools participating for three consecutive years. As growing students watch wheelchair basketball in a group, it can lead to interest and experience, which can lead to the revitalization of the league, as well as the spread of disabled sports and social integration. The Korea Wheelchair Basketball Federation, Korea Sports Association for the Disabled, and the Ministry of Education need to cooperate closely to encourage interest from schools.
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Professional sports are broadcasted by paying a broadcasting rights fee, but in the case of wheelchair basketball, broadcasters actually demand a broadcasting fee. While the league has been running for 10 years, there has never been a title sponsor. The wheelchair basketball league is operated with government subsidies from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Team leader Kim Hang-mook said, “It is enough to operate with only 1/20th of the amount of professional sports. Many athletes advance to individual sports such as shooting or skiing through wheelchair basketball. Wheelchair basketball is the most basic sport in disabled sports. “If we invest in wheelchair basketball, we will be able to contribute to society through employment of people with disabilities and the development of sports for people with disabilities, and it will be a great help in improving our image,” he said, asking for a lot of interest from companies. Coway Blue Wheels Captain Kwak Jun-seong expressed his hope, “Wheelchair basketball is a dynamic and tough sport. It’s really fun to watch in person. You can feel the same charm as regular basketball. It would be great if audiences came in.” The third game of the playoffs, held on the 17th, was also an exciting match. Coway Blue Wheels won a 1-point comeback thanks to Kim Sang-yeol’s free throw. After one loss, they won two games in a row and succeeded in advancing to the championship game. Starting on the 22nd, they will clash with ‘League 1st Place’ Jeju Samdasoo in the championship game to be held at Gwangju Citizen’s Gymnasium in Gyeonggi-do.
Reporter Han Dong-hoon [email protected]
